vara-An old Spanish unit of length, used in the southwestern United States, Mexico, and some Latin American countries. Texas, by law in 1919, set one vara equivalent to 33-1/3 inches or 36 varas in 100 feet.

Arizona vara-33.00 inches.

California vara-Varies from 32.953 inches to 33.372 inches in various records and reports. Los Angeles County patent and miscellaneous records give a definite value of 33.372 inches or 2.781 feet.

Cuba vara-33.38 inches. Curacao vara-33.37 inches.

Curacao vara- 33.37 inches

Florida vara-33.372 inches (U.S. War Department Educational Man EM-908). “Castillian” vara: Mitchel vs. United States, 15 Peters 51, 57 (1841)

Honduras vara-33.03 inches (Funk & Wagnalls); 33.00 inches (Webster)

Mexico vara*-33.03773 inches. Humboldt (1803). (1 vara=839.16mm).

♢ 32.95269 inches. Agreement between Mexican Republic and Bond Holders, September 15, 1837, from Commissioner, General Land Office Report (1854).

(1 vara=837 mm).

♢ 32.99312 inches. Same as above.

♢ 32.99206 inches. Orbezogo (about 1844). (1 vara=838 mm). Also measured interval between marks on old standard rod from Arizpe, Sonora, Mexico (1 vara = 838 mm).

♢ 32.96568 inches. Bustamente (1851). (1 vara=837.33 mm).

♢ 32.96753 inches. U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey (1850). (lvara=837.377 mm).

♢ 32.9682 inches. Standard from Mexico at close of Mexican War, in office of U. S. Coast and Geodetic Survey. (United States vs. Perot, 98 United States 428 (1878)).

♢ 33.00 inches. United States vs. Perot. Commissioner, General Land Office Report (1854). Webster.

♢ 32.994 inches. Webster. (1 square vara = 0. 84 square yard).

♢ 32.99 inches. Funk & Wagnalls.

♢ 32.992 inches. (Merriman, M.: American Civil Engineers\’ Pocket Book).

♢ 32.993 inches. Tracy, J.C.: Plane Surveying. Davis & Foote: Surveying.

♢ 33.28676 inches. Alexander, J.H.: Dictionary of Weights and Measurements

♢ 32.808 inches. Haggard Handbook for Translators of Spanish Historical Documents (Geometrical foot = 10.936 inches) (1 vara = 3 pies geometricos.

New Mexico vara- 33.00 inches,. Surveys of private claims; official recognition by court of private land claimns.

Paraguay vara- 33.00 inches. Funk & Wagnalls. 34.12 inches. Webster

Peru vara- 32.91 inches. Funk & Wagnalls. 33.34 inches. Webster

Philippines vara-33.38 inches. Webster.

Portugal vara-43.28 inches. Funk & Wagnalls. 43.00 inches. Webster.

Spain vara-32.9096 inches. Merriman & Wiggin (1930).

♢ 33.38 inches. Webster.

♢ 33.36 inches. Funk & Wagnalls.

♢ 32.875 inches. Bruhns: Logarithmic Tables.

♢ 32.913 inches. Merriman, M.

Texas vara-33.40 inches. Seth Ingram, Colonial Surveyor, in Document, August 18, 1825. Geometrical foot = 11.13333 inches; 3 geometric feet = 1 vara (Spanish Bar).

♢ 39.60 inches. Seth Ingram’s chain used for measurement. 10 bars (varas) = 50 links (33 feet).

♢ 33.3333 inches. Established by Texas law (1919). (36 varas = 100 feet).

Venezuela vara-33.38 inches. Funk & Wagnalls.

* Conversions by relations to millimeters based on 1 m = 39.37 inches or 1 yard = 36 inches = 3,600/3,937 m and 1 m = 1,000 mm. (Merriman, M.: American Civil Engineers’ Pocket Book.)

–

Source: NSPS “Definitions of Surveying and Related Terms“, used with permission.

Part of LearnCST’s exam text bundle.